


A Pretty Present, Never Mind the Blood

by athenril_of_kirkwall (al_fletcher)



Series: Abigail Hawke [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Dragon Age II - Mark of the Assassin DLC, F/F, The Hanged Man (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:34:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25639576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/al_fletcher/pseuds/athenril_of_kirkwall
Summary: Hawke gets Merrill a gift in the hopes that she likes it, and asks Varric for his opinion.
Relationships: Female Hawke & Varric Tethras, Female Hawke/Merrill, Merrill & Varric Tethras
Series: Abigail Hawke [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1252313
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16
Collections: DA Drunk Writing Circle Prompt Fics





	A Pretty Present, Never Mind the Blood

**Author's Note:**

> Fill for f!Hawke/Merrill, "Gifts and Treasures"
> 
> It's this necklace, incidentally: https://dragonage.fandom.com/wiki/Blood_of_Val_Foret

“You think she’ll like it?”, Hawke asked, as she nervously fiddled with a piece of loot which she’d obtained from Chateau Haine.

Varric reached out for it before inching back reflexively, looking up at Hawke cautiously.

“Oh, for Andraste’s sake,” Hawke said, “It wasn’t _my_ gift that exploded Merrill’s house, it was _her_ revenant-in-a-phial. It’s perfectly safe, stop being such a fussbudget, Varric.”

“All right, if you say so,” Varric said as he picked the necklace up, from the table in the Hanged Man where the two of them had agreed to meet, studying its features. “Maker’s left nut, Hawke, how many rubies are _on_ this thing?”

“Five,” Hawke said with some small degree of pride. “And I believe it’s nielloed with silverite, to boot. So, what do you think?”

Varric turned it over, studying the necklace and its facets. “Well, ah, the thing here is…”

Hawke buried her head in her hands. “She’s going to hate it.”

“I didn’t say that.”

Hawke peeked up at him past her forearm. “You didn’t need to.”

“Well, I think the thing here is that don’t get me wrong here, we all like the shiny things you get us, and I always appreciate it whenever you get me one of those belts with the pouches for more grenades and smoke bombs, but the gift kind of has to suit the person.”

“So, you don’t think it suits her?”

“Hawke, did her former domicile exactly say _glitter and opulence_?”, Varric asked.

“Well, no, but that’s only because none of ours really do,” Hawke said, “I mean, besides my place, and the mansion Fenris is slumming in, and actually…I just realised I’ve never been to your family’s house after your brother, well, ah…departed his.”

Varric shrugged. “It’s nothing to write home about. Unless you’re me, in which I do write back home to that very place.”

“Anyway,” Hawke said, “Just because she lives in the Alienage doesn’t mean that she can’t aspire to intricate shiny things and nicer digs…for that matter, she _is_ upgrading to my mansion, so there you go.”

Varric took a swig of his ale, before replying, “I think you’re letting this argument get away from you there, Hawke. Also, where in the world _did_ you get this from?

Hawke was silent.

“ _Seriously?_ A crate somewhere in Chateau Haine? Or off a fallen guardsman somewhere in there?” Varric asked. “Dare I ask if you washed this thing, or if those are in fact topazes?”

She snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous. I wash everything I hand to you guys. Well, most of everything. I even sent this to be _polished_ before I was going to give it to—”

A new voice sounded in the Hanged Man. “Giving it to whom, Hawke? Ooh, it’s so pretty!”

Even a paralysis glyph couldn’t have held Hawke and Varric in place better as they were utterly frozen by Merrill’s sudden presence. Many long seconds passed before they turned around to address her.

“Well, this is—”

“Oh, Daisy, hey there, I—”

“Don’t mind me, I came back home and saw you weren’t here, so I asked that nice Master Bodahn and he said you were meeting with Varric,” Merrill said, leaning in and commenting, “Well, whoever’s going to get it is going to be _very_ flattered. One…four…five rubies on it! It must be expensive. Unless you just found it outside somewhere. In which case it’s free. I think. So, Hawke, who’re you trying to impress with this?”

Hawke, jaw half-open, looked helplessly at Varric.

“Looks like the gift matches the recipient after all,” he said, finishing his drink and getting up to leave for his lodgings at the Hanged Man. “Stage is all yours, Hawke.”

Getting up and taking Merrill’s hands in hers, Hawke told her, “It’s for you.”

“For me?”, Merrill asked, “Oh, whatever would I do with it? It’s so…big. And shiny.”

“You could wear when you want to impress guests,” Hawke said, “Or under your scarf when we’re outside. I’m pretty sure it’s magic, so it might help you out?”

“You’re so thoughtful, Hawke,” Merrill said, putting the chain around her nape and letting it hang over her scarf. “Although, I do have to ask…”

“Yes?”

“ _Did_ you find it in a box? Or off a corpse?”

Hawke’s lip trembled as she tried to find an answer. “Ah, well, I…isn’t it beautiful? Look at the etchings! I think that’s silverite.”

“You’re so right!” Merrill squealed. “I love it, Hawke! Even if you missed a spot washing the blood off it. Ooh, I guess that answers that question of mine…”

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: https://athenril-of-kirkwall.tumblr.com/post/625208021198438400/


End file.
